Vehicle-wheel.



G. W. MORRIS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED mm m, 1901.

Patented Apr. 13, 1909.

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G. W. MORRIS.

VEHIGLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1'], 1907.

Patented Apr. 13, I909.

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GEORGE W. MORRIS, OF RAGINE, WISCONSIN.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Momma, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Racine, county of Racine, State of Wisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehiclefih heels, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wheels adapted for use in connection withvarious kinds of vehicles.

More particularly, it relates to that class of wheels in which a seriesof coiled springs are employed to absorb the shock incident to the useof the wheel on uneven roadways.

The objects of the invention are to produce a strong and durable wheelof this class in which is embodied new and improved means formaintaining the separate outer rim or tire with which the wheel properis provided always in proper relation to the other parts of the wheel;to provide improved means for maintaining in proper position, under allconditions of use, the springs referred to, which springs are members ofthe struts that radiate from the hub,whereby all twisting or distortionof the springs that might other wise be caused by an independentmovement of the outer rim is prevented; and to generally improve theconstruction and operation of wheels of this class.

I attain these objects by the devices and combinations of devices shownin the drawings and hereinafter specifically described.

That which I believe to be new will be set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved wheel. Fig. 2 is a central cross-section through the wheel.Fig. 3 is a vertical central section through the wheel. 1 is a detail,showing the means employed for transmitting the driving stresses fromthe wheel proper to the outer rim or tire. Fig. 5 is a detail, being aplan view of the means employed for maintaining the members that extendbetween the hub and the outer rim or tire in proper position andpreventing distortion of the spring portion of such members.

In the several figures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts areindicated by like reference characters, 10 indicates the hub of thewheel, at the ends of which are formed annular flanges 11.

12 indicates the rim of the wheel proper, said rim being constructed, asshown, of two Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 17, 1907.

Patented April 13, 1909.

Serial No. 379,433.

angle iron rings spaced a distance apart and held apart by a number ofbraces 14 (see Fig. 2) suitably secured to them.

13 indicates the spokes of the wheel, riveted or otherwise secured attheir lower ends to the flanges 11 of the hub 10 and at their outer endsriveted or otherwise suitably secured to the inwardly-turned flanges ofthe two angle irons that constitute the said rim 12.

15 indicates an outer rim or tire which, of course, is concentric withthe rim 12 of the wheel proper, said rim or tire 15 being, in theconstruction shown, formed of a heavy band which at each side and on itsunder face has riveted to it angle iron rings 16, as best shown in Fig.2. These angle iron rings 16 are spaced sufficiently apart to allow theprojection between them, as also best shown in Fig. 2, of the inner rim12. By reason of the projection of this inner rim 12 between the saidangle iron rings 16, such rim 12 and the outer rim or the are heldtogether so that said outer rim or tire will not become laterallydisplaced. It is to be understood that while the rim 12 fits snugly inbetween the angle iron rings 16, the fit is not to be so tight as toprevent free vertical play between the parts.

The wheel shown is particularly designed for use in connection with atraction engine, and I have therefore shown the outer rim or tireprovided on its outer face with the ordinary diagonally-extending cleatsor grouters 17.

18 indicates a heavy stud depending centrally from a plate riveted tothe under face of the outer rim or tire 15 and sufliciently long toproject some little distance below the outer edges of the angle ironsthat constitute the inner wheel rim 12. This stud 18 extends downbetween these two angle irons 12, and, extending across such angle ironsand suitably secured to their upper flanges, are two strong plates oneat each side of said stud 18. By the engagement of the stud with one orthe other of these plates 19, the wheel proper and the outer rim or tireare compelled to move together, as of course the driving stresses fromthe wheel will be thus communicated to the outer rim or tire.

20 indicates the inner members of a series of struts radiating from thehub 10, the inner ends of such members being placed and properly securedin suitable sockets 21 formed on the exterior of the central portion ofsaid hub. These strut members 20, in the broken.

construction shown, (see Fig. 2), are tubular, and into the outer end ofeach projects an extensible member 22 in the form of a heavy rod that isscrew-threaded on its inner end to engage a nut 23 that rests upon theouter end of the tubular strut member 20. A set nut 23 may be employed,as shown, if desired, to hold the part 22 in the position to which it isadjusted. At the outer end of each extensible member 22 is formed asuitable head 24, adapted to engage the inner end of one of the coiledsprings 25 which form the outer 1116111b616 of the struts. It is thisseries of coiled. springs 25 that maintains the outer rim or tire 15properly held away at all points from the inner wheel rim 12, but ifsuch springs bore directly at their outer ends upon the inner face ofthe rim or the 15 it is evident that as such outer and inner rims werebrought close together on account of the shock due to the wheel passingover an uneven roadway, or by the imposition of an unusually heavy loadupon the vehicle to which the wheel was attached, the springs wouldbecome distorted by being bent in the direction of the travel of thewheel and the entire strut structure,by which term, as before explained,I include the members 20, 22 and 25,would be unduly strained andpossibly To overcome this difficulty, therefore, I provide for use inconnection with each strut a shoe 26 the inner face of which is adaptedto receive the outer end of the spring 25, and the outer face of whichis curved to conform to the curvature of the outer rim or tire againstthe inner face of which such shoe bears.- The shoe is not secured to theouter rim or tire, being left free so as to permit of a sliding movementbetween it and the rim or the when required. One end of each shoe hasformed on it an car 27, through which ear and through the ends of a pairof links 28 passes a pivot bolt 29. As best shown in Fig. 5, each pairof links diverges from its point of connection with a shoe, and thediverging ends lie against the down-turned flanges of the angle ironrings 12, to which they are pivotally attached by a suitable pivot 80extending through them and through said down-turned flanges of the angleiron rings 12. In the construction shown (see Fig. 5), a short sleeve 31in the nature of a washer is mounted on the pivot bolt 30 between thediverging ends of the links 28.

From the construction described, it will be seen that I have provided awheel in which ample protection is given to the strut members thatsupport the outer rim or tire under all conditions of use to which thewheel may be subjected.

When the wheel is used in connection with a traction engine, the weightof the load imposed on the wheel can be known in advance with areasonable degree of accuracy and springs of suitable stiffness andproperly adjusted will be provided so that with a comparatively smoothroadway the springs will yield only sufficiently to render the movementof the vehicle an easy one but will not yield normally sufficiently tobring the inner and outer rims 12 and 15 close together. If, however,owing to inequalities in the roadway and consequent jolting, the tworims are brought close together, the result will be, owing to the rigidpivoted links 28, to cause a sliding relatively between the shoes 26 andthe outer rim or tire 15, thus insuring the maintaining of the springsunder all conditions in proper position and reventing that straining inthe direction of t e travel of the wheel of the strut members as a wholethat would otherwise inevitably occur if they were connected directly tothe outer rim or tire.

I have called attention to the fact that the drawings illustrate a wheelmore especially designed for use in connection with traction engines,and therefore there is shown secured to one face of the wheel a largegear indicated by 32, which is adapted to mesh with the driving gear ofthe engine. It is to be understood, 'however, that my improvements are eually applicable to wheels designed for ot ier uses, and in which suchgear wheel would not be employed.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. A wheel comprising in combination an inn er and an outer riin, ahub, spokes uniting said hub and inner rim, a device-for connecting thetwo rims so that they will move together, struts radiating from the huband projecting beyond said inner rim, each of said struts comprising ayielding member, a shoe interposed between the outer end of each strutand the inner surface of said outer rim, and a link pivoted to said shoeand also pivoted to the wheel between the hub and the periphery of theinner rim. I

2. A wheel comprising in combination a hub, spokes and an inner and anouter rim, said inner rim being slotted and having attached theretostrips bridging said slot, a stud depending from said outer rim andprojecting into the slot in the inner rim between two of said bridgingstrips, a series of resilient struts radiating from the wheel hub andprojecting through the slot in the inner rim, sliding shoes interposedbetween said outer rim and said struts, and a link pivoted to each shoeand also pivoted to the said inner rim.

3. A wheel comprising in combination a hub, spokes and an inner and anouter rim, said inner rim being formed of two pieces of angle-ironspaced a distance apart and strips connecting said angle-irons together,said outer rim surrounding said wheel rim and held at a distancetherefrom and connected-therewith so that said two rims will turntogether,

and said outer rim being provided at each 3 link pivoted to each shoeand also pivoted to side ugth nfieans that project inwardfopppsite saidinner rim.

t 1e si es 0 saic inner rim, a series 0 resi ient struts radiating fromthe Wheel hub and pro- GEORGE MORRIS 5 jecting between the angle-ironmembers of I Witnesses:

said inner rim, sliding shoes interposed be- 0. R. CARPENTER,

tween said outer rim and said struts, and a HARVEY FORD.

